Time stands still for Stabroek Market clock: so does City Hall

TIMES INT'L
The non-functional Stabroek Market tower clock
The non-functional Stabroek Market tower clock

As the time stands still at the Stabroek Market clock, residents of the Georgetown locality are still awaiting a response from City Hall as to when the restoration of the historical Stabroek Market clock will commence.

According to an official at the National Trust of Guyana, who spoke with Guyana Times Wednesday, the Mayor and City Council has been organising to have the clock repaired for some time now. However, she was unable to provide a precise period when those repairs would commence.

Attempts to contact Mayor Hamilton Green and Town Clerk Royston King to attain information on the issue, were unavailing since both individuals were at the time occupied.

The question on what was the cause for lagging behind by City Council in repairing the landmark was raised in a letter to the editor on January 11, 2016 by Debra Gibson.

Gibson evinced disappointment at City Council’s incompetence in maintaining the antique clock. She made mention also of other countries which are able to upkeep their tower clocks in a functional condition.

“In Georgetown, in the heart of downtown, in our capital, our Stabroek clock ground to a halt ages ago and was left like that, possibly to remind us that time stands still at City Hall with hardly anything moving forward.

Why is this so? Are we cultural barbarians? Do we have to learn history to appreciate heritage? All over the world, there are prominent clock towers such as the Big Ben in London; the Philadelphia City Hall tower clocks; the Saviour Tower clocks located in the famous Red Square, close to Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow, Russia (the Tower is part of the Kremlin’s walls); the Peace Tower Clocks in Ottawa, Canada and the list goes on and on with many, many more.”

She added that Guyana is at a central point in its history as it approaches observance of the 50th Golden Jubilee Independence anniversary and as such interest should be placed in ensuring the matter is rectified before the period of celebrations.

Stabroek Market clock serves as a significant landmark which was constructed in the 1800s but has evolved into the current structure.

Over the years it has become a famous tourist attraction.

Related posts